I was asked by my church to help put together a mobile pizza oven for youth events (summer camp, scouts, etc.) after some of the church leaders found out about my oven - I guess all the smoke coming out of the back yard during fire up has not helped. I need to keep the costs down and make it easy for me to build and store.

I am thinking a 48 inch oven would fit the bill. Would be cooking for up to 100+ (UGH!!!)

My thought would be to use a refractory shell to keep costs down. A floor of insulation, fire brick and soapstone.

For the trailer, I am unclear on where to go from here.

How big of an axle (Single or double?) Other needs on the trailer.

How best to tie the oven down

Other considerations from those who have done it in the past

Thanks for the help!!

sonomacast

02-05-2011 11:59 AM

Re: Mobile Oven design

I don't live in USA but I believe that you can buy military surplus trailers with twin axles for under $200. As for an oven you can use normal bircks for the dome, Try a few in a fire to see which take the heat best. Use fire bricks on the oven floor though. I recommend russel jeavons book (Your Brick Oven: Building it and Baking in it )for good building and money saving advice. Under $10 US here in amazon uk. I built fantastic budget oven in a couple of days using his guide. Good luck

nissanneill

02-05-2011 05:22 PM

Re: Mobile Oven design

C5dad,
if you are planning on constant movement of the oven, then I would suggest that you look for a steel semicircular dome, then using castable or mortaring to the outer surface some brick for thermal mass.
These bricks could be reinforced onto [lace with steel straps clamped around their perimeter under the superwool insulation. The opening could be cut easily and either a castable or reinforced brick entrance with a stainless chimney secured to pins welded into the dome. See:

This would reduce your weight a little but give you immense strength and security from self destruction.
The semicircular domes could be sourced from lpg tanks, or old bouys from scrap yards. There have been a couple of well documented builds in this forum, so do a search.
As far as a trailer is concerned, a rocker suspension tandem axle trailer will carry the weight of a 48" oven a lot better than a single axle but most of all give it a much smoother and safer ride. I would also incorporate hydraulic disc brakes as the all up load will be around 1500kg.

Neill

C5dad

02-06-2011 05:30 AM

Re: Mobile Oven design

Thanks guys - both good tips. I will have to travel for getting the mil trailer -some good ones. One of the local trailer makers said he could build to spec inexpensively as well to help out.

Neill, thanks for pointing to the Wiley thread - I had totally forgotten about that - using a propane tank. And your point of a rocker suspension is well taken as I may be having to tow it offroad (maintained dirt roads).